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Newark City Hall statement: Police Chief not suspended

Coley-Roman.JPG

Newark Police Director Sheilah Coley (left) and Police Chief Ivonne Roman (right) greet each other at the State of the City address earlier this year. Earlier today, sources told The Star-Ledger Coley suspended Roman after an argument, but a city hall spokeswoman now says Roman is "not under any form of suspension."
(John O'Boyle/The Star-Ledger)

Earlier today, three law enforcement sources told The Star-Ledger that Newark Police Director Sheilah Coley suspended Roman after an argument about promotional at police headquarters.

Roman was slated to meet with Mayor Luis Quintana and Business Administrator Julian Neals on Friday afternoon, according to the sources, who asked not to be identified because they were not authorized to discuss the matter.

At 5:30 p.m., City Hall spokeswoman Esmeralda Diaz Cameron issued a statement saying Roman is "not under any form of suspension."

"The Director and Chief work together to coordinate numerous operational responsibilities. The (Newark Police Department) has formed a promotional review board that is chaired by the police director," Cameron wrote. "All promotional decisions will be jointly made by the director and chief. Both are focused on the department's continuing mission to combat crime under their leadership."

She declined to comment further, saying only that Roman was not "formally" suspended.

When asked directly if Coley told Roman she was suspended, Diaz Cameron declined to comment further.

Roman became angry with Coley because the director had begun interviewing candidates for promotion without consulting the chief, the sources said. When Roman asked to be included in the process on Thursday, Coley rebuffed her, according to the sources.

Coley continued holding those meetings on Friday morning, when Roman appeared unannounced and again asked to be involved. Coley ordered Roman to leave, and Roman in turn ordered the subordinate officers who were present in the director's office to leave, the sources said.

The argument led to a closed door meeting between the director and chief, and Coley told Roman she was suspended, according to the sources.

Coley, a former precinct commander and head of the Internal Affairs unit, became chief in 2011. She was promoted to the director's post earlier this year after Samuel DeMaio retired. Roman was named chief a few weeks later, marking the first time two women held the city's highest police ranks.